Pasteurizing process.



PATENTED SEPT. 25, 1906.

H. E. WEBER. PASTEURIZING PROCESS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. l, 1906.

6 o 1 M c v n e m UNITED STATES PATENT oFFion. I

PASTEURIZING PROCESS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 25, 1906.

Application filed March 1,1906. Serial No. 303.594.

T aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY E. WEBER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Canton, in the county of Stark and State of Ohio, haveinvented a new and useful Improved Pasteurizing Process, of which thefollowing is a specification.

The invention relates to the process of puri ing or pasteurizing milkwherein the liquid is first brought to a comparatively high temperatureand then by one or several successive stages quickly reduced to aconsiderably lower temperature, and in such process it is desirable forthe greatest efficiency that the change in temperatm'e be accomplishedas nearly instantaneously as possible and that each and all of theparticles of liquid be individually subjected to the heating and coolingtreatment. This object is attained by the method of treatment hereindescribed with reference to the apparatus illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of atwo-series apparatus, showing the lower series in section; and Fig. 2, aplan of one bowl.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the drawings.

Each series 1 is composed of the outer vessel 2 and the inner vessel 3,with the interval or chamber 4 between them, in which chamber is locatedthe heating or cooling agent, which, as illustrated, may be composed ofhot or cold water, as the case may be. The outer vessel may be shapedlike the inner bowl, and its rim 5 is preferably inturned, so as tobetter retain the water in the vessel, and in the aXial line of thebottom is provided the journal-bearing 6, which may be provided with thepacking 7 and the retaining-cap 8. The outer vessels of the series arelocated one above the other, preferably in echelon, and may be attachedto different standards of the same frame, as 9. An inlet-pipe 10 and anoutlet-pipe 11 are provided for each outer vessel, preferably onopposite sides at or near the rim, through which pipes the heating orcooling agent 12 may be introduced and dis charged.

The inner vessel 3 is shaped as a bowl or cup and, as illustrated, maybe formed as the periphery of a half-sphere, although this specific formis not essential, and the rim 13 of the bowl is preferably turnedoutward and downward over and freely outside of the rim of the outervessel to prevent any part of the cooling agent from entering the bowl.The

inner vessel or bowl is made of thin metal or other good heat-conductingmaterial, and the discharge-aperture 14 is located in the axial line ofthe bottom. The tubular shaft 15 is joined to or, as illustrated,attached in the discharge-aperture and is journaled in the bearing 6 ofthe outer vessel. The tube 15 may be attached in the discharge-apertureof the bowl by means of the bushing or thimble 16, which forms anannular shoulder or bearing 16, which rests on the bottom of the outervessel.

The tubular shaft 15 is also journaled in the bearing 17, formed orattached 011 the frame, at an interval above which journalbearing thesprocket-wheel 18 is secured to the shaft, and the spiral spring 19 islocated around the shaft between. the outer-vessel bearing and the hub20 of the sprocket-wheel, and the energy of this spring is exerted todraw the annular shoulder 16" downward against the bottom of the outervessel, which action assists in preventing any leakage from the outervessel. The pan or tray 21 is preferably provided at the lower end ofthe tubular shaft to catch any leakage there may be from the outervessel through the journalbearing and packing thereof.

The several inner vessels or bowls are designed to be rotated, as bymeans of the sprocketchains 22, which may operate around the wheels 23on the counter-shaft 24, journaled to the frame, which shaft in turn maybe actuated by means of the bevel cog-gear 25 and the pulley 26 from anysuitable source of power. The feed troughs or funnels 27 are attached tothe frame or'other fixed support, and when used inter-series arepreferably located directly under the ends of the tubular shafts of thevessel above. These funnels are arranged to discharge at a point at ornear the rims of the bowls, and preferably in the same direction as therota tion thereof, and it is evident they may be omitted between thebowls of a series, in which event the tubular shafts can dischargedirectly into the bowl below adjacent to its rim.

The milk or other liquid to be sterilized or pasteurized is suppliedinto the rotating bowl through the feed-funnel, and as it strikes theside of the bowl at or near the rim it is at once attenuated or spreadtheron in a very thin layer or film. The tendency of the milk to rundirectly down the side of the bowl by the force of gravity is resistedand partially overcome by the centrifugal force resulting from therotation of the bowl, so that as the resultant of these antagonisticforces the thin film of milk is held against the side of the bowl andquite slowly descends therealong and in so doing pursues a somewhatspiral course, so that each particle of milk travels slowly in atortuous course over substantially the entire surface of the bowl untilit reaches the discharge-aperture in the bottom I thereof, whence itruns down through the tubular shaft directly into the next feed funnelor bowl of the series or to a final receptacle.

While the film of milk will become greater in depth as it converges tothe.dischargeap erture, it will be noted that throughout the greaterperiod of its Contact with the sides of the bowl it is spread outthereon in a very thin film and is continuously exposed for an extendedperiod to the action or treatment of the heating or cooling agentthrough the thin wall of the bowl, and it is also evident that the filmof milk is the thinnest when it first impinges the side of the bowl andfor a considerable period thereafter, as a result of which theindividual particles of milk are more quickly or suddenly affected bythe heating or cooling agency than would be the case if the milk were ingreater volume or depth at its initial contact, as is the case when itis sought to treat it by supplying it at or near the middle of arotating disk, and, furthermore, when the milk is discharged in a thinfilm over the edge of such a disk it is so accelerated in speed duringthe period the film is thin that sufficient time is not afforded for aproper action of the heating or cooling agent.

When the milk accumulates in the bottom of the bowl or in thedischarge-aperture, a convenient opportunity is afforded for taking itstemperature by a thermometer, so that full and exact information canalways be obtained on this point and the treatment of the milkintelligently controlled, and the milk so accumulated is in position tobe discharged immediately and by a most direct channel into the nextbowl of the series, so that a sudden transition from a high to a lowtemperature can be accomplished within a minimum period of time. And itis evident that the period during which the attenuated film or milk canbe held against the side of the bowl may be controlled almost at will byvarying the speed. at which the bowl is rotated and also by varying itsspecific shape, which it is evident may be of any bowl or cup formbetween a somewhat shallow disk and an elongated funnel or'invertedcone.

When using the apparatus for sterilizing or pasteurizing milk by theprocess of heating and then cooling it by one or more successive stages,it will be understoodthat a heating Eagency is used in the chamberaround the first bowl in the series and a cooling agency is used in thechamber around the second bowl in the series and that additional bowlscan be used in series in the same manner as herein illustrated anddescribed for a series of two bowls.

The pasteurizing apparatus which is described but not claimed herein ismade the subject of another application for Letters Patent filedherewith.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The process of pasteurizing consisting in causing liquid to flowcentripetally by gravity opposed by centrifugal force in a thin film ofgradually-increasing depth over the treating-surface.

2. The process of pasteurizing consisting in causing liquid to flow bygravity opposed by centrifuga force in a thin film ofgraduallyincreasing depth over the treating-surface.

3. The process of pasteurizing consisting in causing liquid to flowcentripetally by gravity opposed by centrifugal force in a thin filmover the treatingsurface.

4. The process of pasteurizing consisting in causing liquid to flowcentripetally by gravity opposed by centrifugal force over thetreating-surface.

5. The process of pasteurizing consisting in causing liquid to flowcentripetally in a thin film of gradually-increasing depth over thetreating-surface.

6. The process of pasteurizing consisting in causing liquid to flowcentripetally in a thin film over the treating-surface.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

HENRY E. WEBER.

Witnesses HARRY FREAsE, MINNIE F. ANTHONY.

